AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door results: Moxley wins interim title in bloody brawl with Tanahashi

Unlike the IWGP World title match that preceded it, the battle for the interim AEW World championship that main event-ed June 26’s Forbidden Door was a one-on-one encounter.

Jon Moxley’s been gunning for Hiroshi Tanahashi for months, and he got him AEW & New Japan’s first-ever joint PPV. Mox seemed to take a more measured approach to this historic dream match than normal, but eventually his brawling style came out. Putting the Ace of the Universe through a table at ringside almost won the Blackpool Combat Club member the title by countout.

Tanahashi made it the ring before ten (barely), and showed he could scrap too, breaking free from a hold with a punch which started a sequence that ended with Mox bleeding profusely from the forehead. A dive from the top flattened Moxley on the floor, and back in the ring each man survived the other’s finisher.

A choke looked to have Tanahashi out, but he powered to his feet as the crowd chanted “Go Ace”. Moxley stayed on course, though, and turned the hold into a Death Rider.

Mox holds AEW gold once again, and has a date with CM Punk at some point in the future. Tonight, he and Tanahashi have each other’s respect.

And Wednesday, he has Blood & Guts. AEW reminded us of that by having Chris Jericho and Daniel Garcia. Eddie Kingston and Moxley’s teammates raced in, followed by the remainder of Jericho Appreciation Society. The heels had the advantage, until William Regal led Claudio Castagnoli to the ring. Cool Hand Ang got the swing, we got a reminder that Eddie hates Claudio, and the good guys held the ring to close the first Forbidden Door.

Get complete results and coverage from tonight’s show here.